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MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- The Village of Mamaroneck has decided to use only nonlethal methods to control geese and will revise its contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture that originally included slaughtering the waterfowl, Mayor Norman Rosenblum said in a statement Thursday.

A statement outlined the following steps that will be carried out as part of the new plan:

The village will move forward with the USDA using only nonlethal methods.

The village will use the USDA's egg-oiling program.

The village will focus the egg-oiling program on Columbus Park and Harbor Island Park.

Private property involvement for the egg-oiling will include other large-scale waterfront properties in the village that request to participate.

As part of the egg-oiling approach, geese will not be disturbed or chased because this would nullify any efforts to prevent new broods of goslings from hatching.If geese are chased away, they will not nest and lay eggs here, they will nest elsewhere. The village will not haze, harass or chase away the geese until after the egg-laying and hatching season is over. Those measures will be reviewed and considered after that time.

"The many soccer and baseball fields at Harbor Island Park used extensively by our residents and visitors are fouled by the many pounds of goose waste produced every day by geese that have located at the park," Rosenblum said. "The village for many years has been receiving complaints about the goose waste from our employees and from sports participants who use our playing fields."

But, he said, "Based on feedback and input, from the new majority of the current Board of Trustees, the village has withdrawn authorization to kill the geese and will not be allowing any geese to be killed under our contract with the USDA."

Jill Doornick, who founded the organization Animal Nation, said she's happy with the decision but still believes the geese should be left alone. "As far as the oiling goes, that's still meddling with wildlife, which I do not believe we have the right to do."